CEMETERY workers in Thailand have unearthed a corpse whose skin has been incredibly preserved – and apparently it’s all thanks to a black magic TATTOO.

The body – whose skin was intact, hanging from the skeleton – was reportedly discovered while authorities worked to clear an ancient burial site in Mukdahan, a town on Thailand’s eastern border with Laos.

It is claimed the man died of appendicitis as his skin was too strong to have an operation

The skin was covered in Sanskrit tattoos, which excavators believe show a black magic spell, intended to prevent anything from penetrating the skin.

But in a cruel twist, it may have been the supernatural spell that killed him – as a local rescue group claims his strong skin meant he was unable to have an operation for the appendicitis which killed him.

related stories

COMING HOME

Disfigured man forced to live as a recluse returns to his home city after 45 years

SICK BEAST CAGED

Predator who sexually assaulted backpacker for 10 hours as she lay with broken back after cliff plunge is jailed for just FIVE YEARS - as her mum slams 'dismal' sentence

PAD THAI POISONER

Chilling warning for Brits in Thailand after man 'poisoned noodles with muscle relaxant to steal cash'

picking up where he left off

British paedo lied about ID to get new passports so he could return to Thailand to teach kids - despite being deported in 2008

LONG LIVE THE KING!

Meet Thailand’s poodle-obsessed, crop-top wearing 'playboy prince' who is set to be king

Government organisation Goopaitongdaeng Jeemokkho Goopainueng Soonpaed said: ”The skin has a lot of tattoos and it hasn’t gone rotten. The spell to protect him and make him strong prevented the operation and then after he died stopped his skin from rotting.”